The Oriole's Opera
by aims80
Summary: BOOK THREE! This is Lara's story, the daughter of Cary and Melody. A happy, healthy child, but for how long before her world comes crumbling down around her? Please R&R.
1. Prologue

[A/N. This is the sequel to "The Lark's Lullaby" which is the sequel to "The Blackbird's Ballad." The stories follow after the "Melody" series and the first two deal with Melody, but this third one deals with her daughter Lara. In case you noticed, yes I did change the prologue.]

****

~~ Prologue. ~~

As far as I could ever remember my childhood had been nothing but happy. I was the apple of my parents eye's which was probably exacerbated by the fact that Mommy had a miscarriage when I was only young and was told she could no longer have any more children. They don't talk about it mind you, but I know it really upset them and is the reason they dote on me even more. It seemed like I only had to look at something in the shop window and Daddy was in there buying it for me. Daddy owns a factory which builds boats, and "Logan's Boats" is now a common name on boats all over the country. Mommy doesn't work as such but she helps out with events for the factory and she also teaches a few students at school to play the violin after school. She tried to teach me when I was younger but I was hopeless. I'm better at painting that's something I can do.

On my Daddy's side there's my Grandmother Sara, and my Aunt May who both spoil me just as much as Mommy and Daddy do. My Grandfather Jacob died before I was born, and Mommy once said that was lucky since he wasn't exactly approving of her and Cary. My Grandfather Jacob's parents, Samuel and Olivia, left all their money to Mommy and Daddy which is how Daddy started the boat building business and how we got our house. Aunt May and Uncle Tommy have children of their own, twins who are just turning seven and complete pains in the butt, but Mommy assures me that they will grow up sooner or later. Of all my relatives Holly and Kenneth are my favorites. Kenneth is Mommy's half brother and his wife Holly makes me laugh by reading my palm at family gatherings. According to her I'm going to be rich and famous. According to their son Nelson it's all a hocus-pocus, but I notice he lets Holly read his palms too. Nelson is only a few months older than me, and we've always been good friends. 

The only family members I don't know much about are Mommy's parents. She won't talk about them, but she's been telling me the last few years she'll tell me when the time is right. I have to wonder when the time is ever going to be right. I'm fifteen, nearly sixteen, isn't that old enough to hear whatever dark skeletons she appears to be hiding in her closet?


	2. One

****

~~ 1. What is Mommy's secret? ~~

I was sitting on my Daddy's dock with my legs dangling in the water. It was almost summer and the end of the school year. Mommy and Daddy had been discussing going away somewhere on holidays, just the three of us, but as yet they hadn't decided where to go. For some reason Mommy wanted to go to California, but Daddy didn't. Mommy had tried to drag me into it- "Lara, it's your sixteenth birthday present, where do you want to go?" But I'd refused to take sides, and told her that wherever they chose would suit me fine. My parents rarely argued and I wasn't used to it. 

"Hey kid." Someone said, and I rolled my eyes. 

"Hi Nelson." I said without turning around. Nelson Childs, was my half second cousin technically, but it was all pretty complicated so at school we never really mentioned how we were related. All my friends couldn't understand why Nelson and I were only friends since they, like all the girls in school, thought he was pretty good looking. I had to admit he was, but in a way he was like my big brother.

Nelson sat down next to me and dangled his legs in the water too.

"Do you ever think about just getting on a boat and sailing off into the ocean forever and ever?" I asked him.

He looked surprised. "I can't say it's ever crossed my mind, no." He said slowly. "Why?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

"Your parents still fighting about the holidays?" Nelson asked, nodding as if he already knew the answer. 

"Yeah." I said with a sigh. "In sixteen years I've never really seen them argue, and it's such a stupid thing too. I mean who cares whether we go to California or Timbuktu?" 

"Timbuktu." Nelson said thoughtfully. "Don't forget to send me a postcard. I've never known anyone who's ever gone there."

"Idiot." I said fondly, and a smile broke out on my face.

"That's better." Nelson said, throwing a friendly arm around my shoulder. "Look Lara, all parents fight over stupid things, and yours are no exception. It's not like they're going to get a divorce over a holiday….."

"I know that." I said with another sigh. "I just don't like it. I mean if they fought often I'd be used to it, and they don't, so I'm not. Maybe I should tell them I don't want to go away these holidays?"

"Don't you?" Nelson asked.

"I don't care, I just don't want to be the cause of any fights." I explained.

"Look kid-"

"Stop calling me kid or I'll push you off the dock." I said angrily. 

Nelson laughed. "I'd like to see you try." He teased me. 

I laughed too. Nelson was on the school football team and he was pretty good. He was hoping to get a football scholarship to college next year. As for me I was looking at colleges nearby so I could come home for weekends. Mommy and Daddy, however, were determined I'd get into an Ivy League college, but I didn't know whether I was smart enough to do that. Mommy's best friend from when she was my age, Alice, had gone to an Ivy League college and now she was a judge in Boston and Mommy was sure I could do the same thing. I didn't really comment, but I was thinking I'd like to be a doctor.

Nelson stood up and held out a hand to me. "We better get back up to the house. Mom and Melody are planning our party and they'll need to hear what we think of it all so they can completely ignore it and plan something else." He said.

I smiled and got up, ignoring the hand he was holding out to me to prove just because I wasn't a footballer didn't mean I wasn't athletic. "That silly party. I don't know why they're forcing us into it." I complained as we started up towards the house.

"Because," Nelson said in his normal voice, "Sixteen is the most important birthday in your life, other than your twenty first, and your fortieth, and your fiftieth, and your sixtieth, and your-" He started imitating his mother.

"Stop it." I managed through my laughter. 

"Anyway, I suppose it could be all right." Nelson said with a shrug. "As long as we all remember who is the oldest."

"By a few months." I argued.

"Still older." He replied, and I rolled my eyes as we climbed the stairs onto the porch.

"Older doesn't necessarily mean more mature though." I said. 

"Sure it does-" Nelson began, but he stopped as we entered the house.

"When are you going to tell Lara the truth?" Aunt Holly was asking Mommy. 

Tell me the truth? What truth? Nelson and I exchanged puzzled looks and he went to walk towards the kitchen, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. 

"Lara, we shouldn't be snooping." He whispered to me.

"Damn it Nelson, they're talking about me." I whispered back fiercely. "We're staying right here for the moment."

"It's not right." Nelson argued, still in a whisper.

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when were you Mr. Ethical?" I demanded.

He shrugged and said nothing.

"…..and I just don't know how to tell Cary." Mommy was finishing. "If I tell Lara there is no way I can't tell him and it's going to break his heart. I always said I'd tell her, but I keep putting it off."

"He'll understand." Aunt Holly assured Mommy.

"Will he?" Mommy asked and I was shocked to hear the catch in her voice. "I don't know that he will Holly, he's even annoyed about me wanting to go to California."

Aunt Holly sighed. "He doesn't understand Melody. And you can't blame him. You've been saying for years you didn't care, you didn't even want to know-"

"It's just….I never thought I'd want to see her again, I really didn't. But I need answers, answers I didn't get last time. No, not even need- _deserve_!" Mommy interrupted. 

"And is that worth alienating Cary for?" Aunt Holly asked.

Mommy didn't respond.

"That's it." Nelson whispered to me. "We can't stay here and listen to this."

I knew he was right, so I followed him into the kitchen meekly. Mommy looked up startled and she and Aunt Holly exchanged a brief look. "Lara, I didn't hear you come in." Mommy said.

"Surprising." Nelson said, and he walked over to the kitchen table and dropped into a chair. "She was talking so loud I couldn't even hear myself think."

I glared at him, and then realised what he was trying to do, so I shrugged and went and took a seat too. "So, Nelson said you want our input on the party?" I asked.

"Right, we want to know about the color scheme." Aunt Holly explained. 

"I was thinking purple and blue." I replied.

Aunt Holly looked thoughtful. "We'd just decided on blue and yellow." She said.

Nelson caught my eye and I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing out loud. 

"Sure, blue and yellow is fine." I agreed, and out of the corner of my eye I watched Mommy as she made coffee. Her hands were shaking slightly, but other than that there was no sign that anything was wrong. What on earth was her secret, and would I ever learn it?


	3. Two

****

~~ 2. Birthday wishes. ~~

"Happy birthday darling." Mommy cried the moment I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen for breakfast. "I'm making your favorite- pancakes with maple syrup."

"Yum, thanks Mommy." I said, smacking my lips in anticipation. I wasn't dressed yet, but when I'd woken up I was too excited to get dressed. 

Daddy was already sitting at the table with a coffee and he beckoned for me to come over and a moment later I was enveloped in his strong arms. "I can't believe my little girl is sixteen already." He said.

I laughed and went to take my seat but Mommy stopped me. "Why don't you and Daddy go outside and see your birthday present first?" She asked me. "We couldn't bring it in here."

I frowned slightly, wondering what my present would be. At least, I thought relieved, it wasn't a trip away and therefore my parents weren't fighting anymore. Daddy and I walked outside and I rubbed my eyes when the bright morning sunlight hit them. And there, tied to a post on the front porch, was a puppy. I squealed with excitement and then dropped on my knees beside the puppy, who promptly licked my face all over happily. "Daddy this is the best present I've ever had." I said. 

"She's only seven weeks old, so she's not housetrained and that's going to have to be your responsibility." Daddy warned me.

"That's all right….can she come inside?" I asked.

Daddy bit his lip. "Just for this morning, but until she's toilet trained I don't want her inside and leaving accidents everywhere." He conceded. 

Happily I picked my puppy up and Daddy; her and I went inside. Mommy turned around from the stove when we walked into the kitchen. She smiled at me. "I take it you like your present then?" She asked.

"Yes Mommy, she's great…what do you think I should call her?" I asked.

Mommy shrugged. "That's up to you. But make it something short because puppies respond better to names which are easy for them to learn."

I nodded and surveyed her thoughtfully. She was brown and white and fluffy. "I think I'm going to call her Tess." I decided. 

I glanced at my parents. Mommy was smiling, but a strange look had crossed Daddy's face and I quickly put my head back down so he couldn't see the puzzled look in my eyes. Was there something wrong with the name Tess?

"Come on Lara, eat up so we can get going over to your grandmothers." Mommy urged me. "May, Tommy and the twins are going to be there as well."

"Are they all coming tomorrow night?" I asked.

"Of course, but I think Sara wanted to see you on your birthday too." Mommy replied.

*****

In the car Mommy was telling Daddy some of the details about the party the next night. I listened absently. Nelson and I had made a few suggestions as to what we wanted, but either Mommy or Aunt Holly vetoed them for one reason or another. In the end we just left it up to them. I still hadn't forgotten about Mommy's secret that Nelson and I had overheard the week before. She hadn't mentioned it though, so I kept my mouth shut too. Sooner or later though, I was going to have to ask her what she was talking about.

"Ah, the birthday girl!" Grandmother cried when we walked into the house. 

"Hello Grandmother." I said, letting her hug me briefly, and then hold me at arms length studying me. 

"You look more like Laura every day." Grandmother said, and I noticed a tear in the corner of her eye. Laura had been Daddy's twin sister, but when she was about my age she'd died in a boating accident. Daddy didn't talk about her a lot, but it wasn't as though she were a forbidden subject, it was just something he felt uncomfortable talking about.

"Come on Lara, Aunt May and Uncle Tommy want to say happy birthday too." Mommy said softly, and I let go of Grandmother to turn to my Aunt and Uncle.

Aunt May signed "Happy birthday sweetie" and Uncle Tommy gave me a hug and then he prodded the twins who were standing back a little. 

They were dressed in identical suits and they looked quite cute. They walked up to me and then one of them- I think it was Richard- handed me a small package. "Happy birthday." They said in unison. 

"Oh thank you." I said, and I unwrapped it eagerly. It was a necklace with a sixteen pendent hanging from it. "It's lovely, I love it. Mommy can you please help me put it on?"

Mommy came over and I piled my hair up on my head whilst she did the clasp up. 

"I've got a present for you too." Grandmother said, and she handed me a brightly wrapped package. 

I opened it and was surprised to see that it was a hairbrush, and it looked like an antique one too. I looked up at Grandmother quizzically and then towards my parents. I saw Daddy staring at the hairbrush with hazy eyes, but then Mommy took his hand and squeezed it and his eyes cleared. "Go on, thank your Grandmother Melody." He said, but his voice sounded funny, like it did when he had a cold.

"Thank you Grandmother. It's a lovely hairbrush." I said, hurrying forward to kiss her cheek.

"It was Laura's, your dead aunt." Grandmother replied. "I've been keeping it for a special occasion. My mother gave me it when I was sixteen and we've been passing it down ever since. Laura was given it shortly before she died."

Out of the corner of my eye I looked at Aunt May- would she be angry that I had been the one to get the hairbrush. The placid look on her face comforted me.

"Thank you." I said again, and she squeezed my hand. 

"That's all right dear. Hopefully one day you'll be giving it to your own daughter." Grandmother said.

"Not too soon I hope." Daddy said, his normal smiling self again.

*****

"Can you stop on the way through town?" Mommy asked Daddy as we were leaving Grandmother's place later that day. "I've got to pick up some last minute things for the party."

Daddy shrugged nonchalantly. 

I settled in the back of the car feeling strangely tired. We'd had a large meal with all my favorite seafood dishes as well as birthday cake and I was feeling full. I might have dozed off because the next thing I knew Mommy was shaking me awake.

"Come on Lara, you've got to help me get some of these things in, I can't carry it all by myself." She was saying.

I yawned and stretched. "What about Daddy?" I asked.

Mommy glared at me. "Your father has gone into another shop to do something, so don't be so lazy. You'd think you didn't want this party, and Nelson's just the same. Children these days."

I hid my smile, deciding not to remind her that neither Nelson nor I had wanted the party in the first place. I followed her out of the car and towards the shops, but then someone stepped in front of us.

"Melody." He said. "How are you?"

Mommy's face went pale and she glared at him. "Adam, what are you doing back here? I heard you and Francine moved to New York shortly after…..well awhile back." She said. 

I raised an eyebrow at her cold tone- I rarely heard Mommy speaking to people like that. The man standing before her was a few years older than her, but other than his slightly graying hair you wouldn't have known. He looked like a perfectly nice man to me.

"We did." Adam said. "But our son has asthma and it's pretty bad so we decided to move back here. And Father's about to retire so I'm going to take over the practice."

"That's nice." Mommy said in a tone which implied it was anything but nice. "Excuse us Adam we've got some shopping to do for Lara's birthday party tomorrow."

Now Adam's eyes turned on me. "I heard she was sixteen. And may I say she looks exactly like you did at the same age. Are you inviting her….my father?"

I frowned, wondering what he'd been about to say before he stopped abruptly. 

"No." Mommy said shortly. 

"Oh. Well, happy birthday Lara." He said to me.

"Thank you Mr.…." I trailed off.

"Mr. Jackson sweetie, now come on let's get going." Mommy said, and she walked ahead of me into the store.

"Thank you Mr. Jackson." I said, before turning to follow Mommy. I felt his eyes on me as I walked into the shop where Mommy was waiting by the door for me.

"Mommy, why do you hate that man? He seems perfectly nice to me." I asked her, curiously. 

"Ah, here we are- streamers." Mommy said, and she plucked some of the shelf. "Could you believe we almost forgot the streamers Lara?"

"No, but Mommy-" I began, and my mother interrupted me.

"Lara, forget about it. He was just someone I knew when I was younger, and his parents were good friends of your great-grandparents, Samuel and Olivia, so he assumed that they would be invited. However we can't invite the entire town can we?" She asked me chirply.

"No Mommy." I replied slowly. Why did I get the feeling that there was even more Mommy was hiding from me?


	4. Three

~~ 3. Sweet sixteen party. ~~

"Hurry up Lara, you can't be late for your own party." Mommy knocked on my door as she walked past. 

I didn't answer, just turned to study myself in the mirror. Mommy had let me get a new dress for the party, something I thought was modern and stylish, and I'd worn my hair twisted up into a bun. My sixteen pendent was around my neck. Did I look like a little kid? I was always worried I looked younger than I really was because I was shorter and skinnier and it was only in the past year or so that I had actually begun to fill out and look more my age. Standing by the mirror I thought more about Mommy's secrets- maybe it was time to tell her I wanted to know the truth?

"Lara." Mommy opened the door this time. "Why are you taking so long?"

I sighed and turned back to face her. "Mommy I want you-" I began, but she interrupted me.

"You look so grown up and beautiful." She said, and I saw tears pricking at her eyes. "I didn't have a sweet sixteen party you know."

All thoughts of asking Mommy what her secrets were went out of my head. "You didn't?" I asked my eyes wide. "Why not?"

"Oh my parents weren't really into that kind of thing." Mommy said. "I think that's why I was so obsessive about you having this party…."

I felt terrible for the way I'd been acting and instantly apologized. "Mommy this party is going to be great, and I'm going to have a wonderful time." I assured her.

"You better." She said in a mock stern voice. "Now come on, Daddy's waiting for us downstairs. He fed Tess for you and has tied her up by her kennel."

"I wish she could come." I said wistfully and Mommy laughed.

"A dog at a party? I don't think so Lara." She said.

We hurried down the stairs where Daddy was waiting. He glanced up at us, then looked back quickly. "My god Lara, you look gorgeous." He told me.

I felt my face redden. "Thank you Daddy." I whispered. 

"What about me?" Mommy teased Daddy. 

"You look okay too I guess." Daddy teased her back, and she laughed and slipped her hand through his as we walked out to the car. I smiled too, happy to see that they were no longer arguing over us going away. This was the way my parents usually acted and whilst normally I'd make a face at their obvious shows of affection for the moment I welcomed them.

*****

"Happy birthday darling." Aunt Holly said wrapping me up in a hug the moment I arrived. To my surprise there were already a few guests there, but I think most of them were Nelson's friends. 

"Here's the birthday girl- arriving fashionably late." Uncle Kenneth joked and he handed me a present. I already knew what it was, but I ripped it open eagerly waiting to see what it looked like. A few months back Uncle Kenneth had asked Nelson and I to pose for a painting for him, and that painting was what was wrapped up in the paper. 

"Oh," Mommy gasped as she looked over my shoulder. "Kenneth this is wonderful. Isn't it a shame though that the judge isn't here to see it?"

Kenneth's father, Judge Childs, was both mine and Nelson's real grandfather, but not many people knew that.

Wonderful was certainly one word to describe it. Nelson and I were sitting side by side looking off into the distance, and behind us there was the ocean.

"Thank you." I managed to say.

"Your welcome." Uncle Kenneth replied. "Now I think I saw some of your schoolfriends outside…"

"Okay." I said and I hurried off to greet them. I had a lot of friends at school, but there were two close ones- Marnie and Jackie. I found them outside with a soda each, looking in the direction of Nelson and his friends.

"Happy birthday." Marnie cried when she saw me approaching them. "We put your present on the table."

"Thank you." I said.

"Want a chip?" Jackie asked, offering me the bowl she was holding.

"No thanks." I said. 

"Suit yourself." Jackie said, and she put another handful in her mouth.

Marnie gave her a disapproving look. "You shouldn't eat all of them, otherwise you'll just complain about it all night."

"I'll go on a diet tomorrow." Jackie replied with a shrug. Jackie was always dieting, but in reality she wasn't as overweight as she thought she was. 

"Isn't Nelson looking handsome tonight?" Marnie asked, giving me a sly look.

I glanced over in his direction. "I suppose." I said with a shrug.

"Maybe I'll ask him to dance later?" Marnie suggested.

"You should." I said nodding. "I think you two would make a lovely looking couple." And that was certainly true- Marnie was one of the best looking girls in our entire school and she was also on the cheerleading squad.

Some of our other schoolfriends began to arrive, and soon there was a big group of us. I chatted with as many people as I could and then I saw Grandmother arrive and I detached myself from the group to go and say hello to her. Sometimes Grandmother can be a bit strange, like when she's thinking about Lara or Grandfather Jacob, but she's usually a very entertaining person and I enjoy her stories very much. 

"Oh, hello Lara." She said to me, giving me a quick hug. "Have you seen your grandfather anywhere? I can't seem to find him."

"Hello Ma." Daddy said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "How are you?"

"Good, I was just telling Lara what a nice party this is and how lovely she looks." Grandmother replied.

Daddy's eyes met mine over Grandmother's head and I knew he'd heard what she said, but we didn't usually comment on it, since it only happened occasionally. "That's right Ma, how about you come in and see Melody? She's busy in the kitchen."

"In the kitchen?" Grandmother said. "Oh, I better go and help them."

Daddy led her off and I stood there watching for a moment before turning around and almost running straight into Nelson. "Hey kid." He greeted me.

I gritted my teeth. "I turned sixteen yesterday Nelson and you know it perfectly well!"

"Did you really?" Nelson asked, and I glared at him until he started laughing. "So, how did you like your puppy?"

"You knew?" I asked.

"I know everything." Nelson replied.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Well _almost_ everything then." He conceded. "Come and dance with me?"

"I will, but only if you promise to ask Marnie to dance later." I replied.

He made a face. "No offense Lara, but she's a bit of an air head isn't she?"

"She is not." I argued. "She's quite smart."

"I'll think about it." Nelson said, and he led me onto the dance floor.

*****

The night seemed to go very quickly. I danced with Nelson, and his friends as well as my friends, and Uncle Tommy tried to teach me to do the waltz although I have to admit I wasn't much good at it. I was on my way to get a drink and catch my breath when Nelson's best friend Alex asked me to dance. 

"I've got to have a rest." I pleaded. "My feet are killing me."

"Everyone else has danced with the birthday girl…." He said.

"I promise I'll save you a dance after I've had something to drink." I told him.

I went inside towards the kitchen, but angry voices stopped me. 

"Cary- you're drunk." Mommy was saying.

"So?" Daddy asked, and his voice _was_ slurred.

"So, I'm going to take you home before you do anything to embarrass your daughter on such an important day." Mommy replied.

"Embarrass her?" Daddy's voice was so cold that I automatically embraced myself. "That would be right wouldn't it? I'm not very sophisticated am I? Not very refined am I?

"For heavens sake Cary-" Mommy began, sounding tired, but Daddy interrupted her.

"Maybe if you go to LA you can meet a nice, mature man…someone better suited to you." Daddy snapped.

Mommy was silent a moment, and when she spoke her voice was equally as cold as Daddy's had been. "That's not fair and you know it."

"Do you think I don't know? Do you think I didn't know about Billy?" Daddy asked, and he sounded upset now. 

"Cary. Enough. Not now please." Mommy practically begged. 

"I don't even understand why you'd want to go to California." Daddy said. "After all this time-"

"I know you don't understand." Mommy said. "I didn't think you would, but I just want answers. That's all."

"Why now? Why all of a sudden?" Daddy demanded. 

"I think it was Lara turning sixteen, after all that's how old I was when I came to the Cape." Mommy said.

"Lara, why are you hiding over here?" Aunt Holly asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I wasn't hiding." I said quickly. "I was getting a drink. I was thirsty from all the dancing."

"That's where I was headed as well." Aunt Holly said, and she led me into the kitchen.

My parents weren't arguing now, they were just standing in silence, but there was no mistaking the tension in the air, and Aunt Holly immediately turned to look at me, her eyes narrowed. She must have guessed they were arguing and I was standing there listening.

"We're leaving now." Mommy said, trying to sound cheerful. "Your father has had enough to drink."

"Okay Mommy." I said. "Let me just get my things."

"No," Mommy said as I started to walk out of the kitchen. "Not you. The birthday girl can't go home early. I'm sure someone can give you a lift home?"

"Nelson will." Aunt Holly promised Mommy.

"Good." Mommy said, and she came to hug me. "Have a good night sweetie. We're very proud of you, you know." 

I hugged her back. "Thanks Mommy." I said, but I didn't meet her eyes. Tomorrow, whether she liked it or not, I had a few questions for her. About California and about this mysterious Billy man she'd been speaking about just then. I also wanted to know why she didn't like Adam Jackson, who seemed perfectly nice to me.

Daddy came over to hug me goodbye too. "I'll see you later sweetie, have a great night. You look so gorgeous."

"Thanks Daddy, I will." I said. 

He and Mommy left, and Aunt Holly looked at me thoughtfully. 

"What?" I asked uncomfortably.

"Nothing." She said with a sigh. "Go on- get back to the party."

I obeyed, but in the back of my mind were all the questions that my mother was going to answer tomorrow regardless of how she felt about it.


	5. Four

[A/N. I'm going to be back at Uni next week for the first time in almost three months because of my back, so therefore my stories might not be updated as much as they used to be. I have been pretty slack over the last few weeks but I've been writing a novel, and so that's taken up a lot of my time. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.]

****

~~ 4. The accident. ~~

I sighed and wished I'd brought a jacket with me as the air was beginning to get cool and I didn't have anything to go over my dress. The party was beginning to wind down and there were only a few guests left on the dance floor. Most of my friends had already left, and I'd distractedly thanked them for coming. I didn't know why but for some reason I was feeling anxious, and butterflies were doing the tango in my stomach. 

Marnie and Jackie had been among the last to leave, with Marnie chatting excitedly about the fact that Nelson had asked her for a dance. I didn't tell her that he'd done it as a favor for me. Jackie noticed that there was something on my mind, but I brushed her off, telling her I was just tired. Now I stood at the edge of the dance floor wishing that the remaining guests would go home so I could go home too. 

"Why aren't you out there dancing? After all you only turn sixteen once." Uncle Kenneth said, coming over and putting an arm around my shoulders. 

"I don't know, I just don't feel like dancing." I admitted with a shrug. 

He looked at me carefully. "Are you all right Lara?" He asked. 

"I'm fine, I'm just tired." I said, giving the same excuse I'd given Jackie. I don't think Uncle Kenneth believed me completely but he nodded. 

"I'm sure Nelson will be ready to take you home soon." He assured me, before he went back to cleaning up with Aunt Holly. 

I shivered and crossed my arms over my chest. I didn't know why I was feeling so stressed, but I knew I wasn't going to feel better until I got home and saw my parents weren't still fighting over me. 

"Hey birthday girl, where's my dance?" Alex came and stood in front of me. I could smell from his breath he'd been drinking, and I moved back slightly to get away from the pungent smell. 

"I'm sorry Alex, but I'm going to have to take a raincheck on it. I don't feel like dancing at the moment." I said. 

He frowned angrily. "But you promised me one!" He said. 

"I know," I said tiredly. "But I've changed my mind. I just don't feel like dancing right now, I'm tired and my feet are sore, and really I just want to go home."

Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Do you want a lift? Or am I so repulsive you won't even get in a car with me?" He asked.

I hesitated. The idea of getting home sooner rather than later was certainly tempting, but on the other hand he had been drinking and I didn't think it was entirely safe to get in the car with him.

"You know people say you're a snob, but I never used to believe it until now." Alex spat out. 

I was shocked. "I'm _not_ a snob!" I protested. "How could you even suggest that?"

Alex smirked. "I've heard tales that the Logan girls have always been snobs. Take your dead Aunt Laura for example- she thought she was better than everyone else and where did that get her? Drowned!"

I glared at him. "I don't think that you should be discussing that at the moment." I warned him.

"And what about your own dear mother?" Alex asked. "She wasn't as innocent as you all like to act like you are!"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded my voice low and dangerous. If Alex hadn't been drunk he might not have answered, but as it was he didn't realise what I was thinking.

"Everyone knows about her affair with Adam Jackson." Alex said. "And supposedly she had some affair with another man when she ran off on your father just before the wedding."

I was shocked into silence. I had got the feeling the other day that Mommy knew Adam Jackson better than she said she did, but I didn't know that they'd been a couple. And I certainly had no idea what he was talking about- Mommy had not run off anywhere before she and Daddy had married….had she?

"Stick your head in the sand if you want, but all Logan girls are the same. So do you want to prove you're different? Do you want a lift or not?" He demanded. 

"A lift where?" Nelson asked, coming over and slinging a friendly arm around my shoulder. I was relieved his arrival stopped me from arguing the point with Alex. 

"I was offering Lara a lift home, trying to be nice and friendly, but she didn't want one." Alex replied sulkily. 

"I can't say I blame her, you can't drive home after drinking." Nelson said. "I came over to tell you that Garreth and Jason were leaving and they said they'd drop you off and you can leave your car here."

Alex glanced at me, and I had the impression he didn't want to leave, that he wanted to stay with me, but he nodded and hurried over to his friends who were leaving. 

I took a deep breath, all of a sudden I was glad for the cool, fresh air. What was Alex talking about, Mommy having an affair before she and Daddy married? It seemed like everyone in this town knew all Mommy's little secrets except me, her only daughter. If it weren't for the fact that it was so late I'd have woken Mommy up when I got home and demanded to know what was going on with all these secrets the last few days, and why she and Daddy were fighting. As it was it was going to have to wait for the morning.

"Are you all right? You look kind of pale. Alex didn't bother you did he?" Nelson asked me, peering into my face curiously.

I thought for a moment: Nelson knew pretty much all the little secrets Mommy was hiding from me since he'd been there the other day when we'd overheard Mommy and Aunt Holly talking, and he knew that Daddy and Mommy were fighting over a trip to California. 

"Tell you what, I'll get my keys and drive you home, and you can tell me on the way all right?" Nelson asked, and I nodded gratefully. Whilst he went to get his keys I went to say goodbye to Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Holly. 

Aunt Holly drew me aside. "You're not worried about your parents arguing are you?" She asked me.

I hastily assured her that I wasn't worried about it at all, but I think she saw through my flimsy lie because she said that ever since my parents had left earlier I'd been acting anxious and worried. She and Uncle Kenneth wished me a happy birthday and then Nelson came back with the keys and we left.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Nelson asked me as we got into the car. "You've been acting kind of stressed the last little while."

I nodded slowly. "It's strange, but it's almost like there's this feeling of dread in me, but I can't place it. I feel like there's something wrong, but I don't know what it is. Then again, it could just be all this stuff with my parents?"

"Okay, spill it." Nelson said, as we drove up the sandy road that led to their place on the beach.

"Well you know that Mommy and Daddy have been arguing a lot the last few weeks about going to California of all things, and you were there when we overheard Mommy and Aunt Holly talking about telling me, and Daddy something, and about how she felt she needed to get answers? Well tonight Daddy was drunk and he and Mommy were arguing and he was talking about someone called Billy- I think perhaps he lives in California- and it sounded like Daddy was accusing Mommy of having an affair with this Billy person. And then to top it off Alex said something before about Mommy running off before she and Daddy got married and having an affair…." I finished breathlessly. 

"I've been thinking actually." Nelson said slowly. "I seem to recall hearing something about Melody's mum, Haille, living in California- maybe that's who she wanted to see?"

"My grandmother?" I repeated shocked. "But I thought she was dead!"

"Maybe she is, I just remembered hearing something about it a long time ago." Nelson said. "Damn this rain." He switched the windscreen wipers on higher. 

"It's almost as if everyone knows more about my family than I do." I said unhappily. "Mommy has all these secrets, and I know she's had them for years, but it's only recently they're beginning to come to the surface, and if they've got anything to do with me then I think I've got a right to know."

"You do." Nelson assured me. 

"But I don't want to hurt Mommy or Daddy." I added, and then I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face. The summer air combined with the rain made it hot and muggy. "Anyway, enough about that- I saw you dancing with Marnie."

Nelson laughed. "I bet you did…. I only did it as a favor for you, of course."

"Of course." I repeated with a smile. 

"You know, she might not be that bad after all. I mean, yeah, she's a bit of an air head, but she's a pretty nice girl…do you think she'd want to go out with me?" Nelson asked.

"I'm sure she'd want to go out with you. What teenage girl wouldn't?" I replied. It amused me that Nelson, who was so popular with everyone because of his good looks, his football playing, and his nice-guy attitude, could sometimes be so shy and unsure of himself. If you didn't know him well then you'd never, ever suspect it.

"Do you mind?" Nelson asked, taking his eyes off the road to briefly glance at me.

I laughed. "Mind? No, of course not." I promised him.

"Hmm…well I might ask her- hey, what's that up ahead?" He asked, and I squinted ahead into the darkness. Red and blue flashing lights were lighting up the night.

"Someone's had an accident…I hope they're all right." I said, and all of a sudden the butterflies had returned to my stomach to dance, and they'd brought their friends with them. 

As we approached the accident scene Nelson slowed down and we both peered out the windows, and then I gave a scream of recognition- one of the two cars was my parent's car. Before Nelson had even stopped the car I jumped out and ran towards the cars. 'Please god,' I prayed. 'Please let my parents be all right.'


	6. Five

****

~~ 5. Denial. ~~

"Lara wait! Be careful!" I heard Nelson's yell behind me, but I paid it no heed as I sprinted down towards the cars. The only thought on my mind was making sure my parents were okay. But before I could reach the cars someone's strong arms caught me and stopped me in my tracks.

"Whoah," He said annoyed. "What are you doing? This isn't the place for sightseers." 

"I'm not a sightseer." I snapped. "That's my parents car down there." I struggled to get free but his arms were holding me tightly. 

"I don't think you should go down there." He said, his voice softer now. 

"I don't _care_ what you think." I yelled. "MOMMY! DADDY!"

"Lara." Nelson had arrived beside me and I turned to face him. His face was pale, and in the lights from the ambulance and the police cars I saw his eyes were wide with fear. 

"Please let me go." I said, trying to sound calm, and hoping the man would let me go. 

"Lara do you really think-" Nelson began, but before he could finish his sentence a loud wail came from the direction of the police cars. The man holding on to me must have got a shock because his grip loosened slightly on me and I took advantage of the fact, wrenching myself away and sprinting towards the two cars. My parent's car was a mess and it looked like it had hit something head on. The other car was pretty bad, but not as bad. The ambulance was standing with it's back doors open and a woman was sitting on the edge of it, crying hysterically. Various police officers walked around, and a few looked up as I reached them. 

"Mommy! Daddy!" I raced to our car, but stopped when I saw it was empty. 

"What the hell-" A police officer began, sounding as angry as the man who had stopped me before. But there was the sound of feet behind me and Nelson and the man arrived. 

"Sir- I tried to stop her," The man puffed. "Her parents were in that car."

"Oh." The police officer's voice was quieter now, and he came to put his hand on my arm. "Your parents have gone in the first ambulance because they needed urgent medical attention." 

"Are they all right?" I demanded, shaking his hand off my arm. 

I saw the police officers all exchange looks over my head and I stamped my foot angrily on the ground. "I said are they all right?" I cried. "Why don't you answer me?"

"Lara…" Nelson came forward to put an arm around my shoulders. "Sir, what happened here?"

The police officer took off his cap to scratch at his hair before putting it back on. "The couple were driving home and they took the bend too fast and veered over to the wrong side of the road. The woman coming the other way didn't have time to react." He explained. 

The woman in the ambulance had stopped crying now, and she got out and came over to me. Her voice shaky she said, "I'm sorry." She told me.

I glared at her. "So you should be. If my parents are hurt…." I trailed off, not sure what to say, and knowing that it wasn't wise to threaten her. The police officer had basically said the accident was my parent's fault. 

"Hurt?" She repeated. And then she turned around to look at the police officers who were gathered around. Some were looking around near the cars, and the ambulance officers were coming over towards us. "Haven't you told her?"

I felt my legs give way, but Nelson held me up. "Told me what?" I cried, my voice higher than usual, and panicky. 

"Come on Mrs. Martin, we want to get you to the hospital to get you checked out." The ambulance officer said, taking her arm and trying to lead her back towards the ambulance. 

"I'm fine." She said waving her off impatiently. 

"Tell me what?" I asked again, this time my voice weaker.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital Lara." Nelson suggested to me, and to my shock I saw there were tears running down his cheeks. 

"Tell me what?" I asked again, but when I looked at the faces of some of the police officers gathered there I didn't need an answer. I felt myself grow lightheaded and then everything went black.

*****

When I came to I was lying down near the ambulance, with the ambulance officers fussing over me. Nelson was standing near me, but he wasn't looking at me, he was looking off into the distance, and his back shook with his silent sobs. 

"Nelson." I croaked, and I saw him take a deep breath before coming over to me.

"Lara, you scared me." He said, kneeling down next to me. 

"We've got to go to the hospital. We've got to go and see Mommy and Daddy. They'll want to see me." I insisted. My parents were going to be all right- they had to be. They couldn't die, they couldn't leave me!

"We'll take you to the hospital sweetie." The ambulance officer said, glancing at her partner. 

"Good. Let's go. Now." I said, struggling to get up, despite still feeling dizzy. Nelson hurried to steady me. 

"I'll follow in the car." He told me. 

"Promise?" I asked him, not wanting him to leave me yet.

"Promise." He assured me, squeezing my hand. "And then I better call Mom and Dad."

"We better hurry." I told the ambulance officers. 

The female one helped me into the back of the ambulance, where the woman who'd been in the accident was already sitting silently. She glanced at me, but then put her head back down. I sat stiffly on the edge of the stretcher, and a moment later there was the noise of the motor starting, and the ambulance moved off up the slight incline, and towards the hospital. The drive there seemed to take forever, despite my pleas to hurry. I had to get to my parent's bedsides. The moment the ambulance arrived at the hospital I threw the back doors open and ran into inside. 

"Where are my parents?" I demanded of the nurse at the front desk. "Mr. and Mrs. Logan? They were just brought in from a car accident."

She looked at me sympathetically. "Are you on your own?"

"No my cousin is right behind me." I said, not bothering to explain that Nelson was actually my half second cousin since at that moment it didn't really seem to matter. Nothing mattered but seeing my parents. 

"Hold on a moment, I'll just get someone." She said slowly, and she disappeared leaving me waiting impatiently. 

"Lara, I called Mom and Dad on the car phone, they're on their way." Nelson said, as he hurried into the building. He grabbed my hand and I held it tightly. 

"She's just getting someone. They'll take me to my parents." I said.

"Lara-" Nelson began, his voice hoarse, but I interrupted him, my eyes blazing. "Don't you say it Nelson Childs, don't you dare say it. My parents are fine."

He swallowed hard and said nothing. Eventually the nurse came back with a young doctor by her side. He looked as though the last thing he wanted to do was to come and speak to me. "Miss Logan?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Can you come with me?" He asked, and Nelson and I followed behind him, my hand still gripping his firmly. He led us into a small room with a few chairs and a table. The nurse had followed and now she bustled about making cups of coffee and I feeling weak again I sank into one of the chairs. Nelson remained standing.

"Is there anyone else coming?" The doctor asked.

"My parents are on their way." Nelson said. "And they might have called Lara's Grandmother."

The young doctor nodded and I noticed he was fiddling with his pen uncomfortably. 

"Doctor, can I please see my parents?" I asked him calmly. 

"Your parents…" He said, and then he coughed and started again. "I'm sorry Miss Logan, but your parents didn't make it. Your father died on impact and your mother passed away on the way to the hospital. I'm terribly sorry, everything that could be done was done, but their injuries were too severe-"

"NO." I yelled, getting out of my chair and glaring at the doctor. "You're lying."

"Lara." Nelson said, tears running freely down his cheeks again, like they had at the accident site when he'd realized what I'd stubbornly refused to accept. "Lara, the doctor's not lying."

"But my Mommy and Daddy wouldn't die…they'd never leave me…they love me!" I protested, although somewhat weakly. 

"I'm sorry Miss Logan." The doctor repeated, and I wanted to punch him. In my pain I felt it was his fault my parents had died. But my rage dissipated almost instantly, and it was replaced by a deep despair, and for the first time since I'd recognized my parent's car I started to cry. 

Nelson hurried to my side, and pulled me into his arms. I buried my head in his chest crying like I thought I'd never stop. I didn't notice the doctor leave, pulling the door shut behind him. All I could think about was the fact that my parents had gone. I don't know how long it was that I stood against Nelson crying but the next thing I took in was the arrival of Aunt Holly and Uncle Kenneth. From the look of pain on Uncle Kenneth's face and the tears streaming down Aunt Holly's I knew they'd been told what had happened. 

"Lara, baby." Aunt Holly said, and I rushed into her arms. 

"This can't be happening, this is all a nightmare and I'm going to wake up in a moment and everything is going to be back to normal…" I told her, through my tears.

"Oh baby." Aunt Holly said, sounding choked up. "I wish that were so."

"Do you think I better call Sara and Tommy and May?" Nelson was asking his parents. 

"I think so." Uncle Kenneth said. "They need to know."

Nelson left the room to make the necessary phone calls, and Aunt Holly said, "I think we better take you back to our place."

"No." I cried, pulling back from her, scared. "I have to stay here, I can't leave them."

"Lara, we can't stay here." Aunt Holly said softly. 

I felt the fight go out of me and I nodded weakly. Uncle Kenneth on one side, and Aunt Holly on the other I left the hospital. Nelson walked slowly behind us, his own grief evident. He'd rang Uncle Tommy and told him what was happening, and he'd offered to go and get Sara before bringing her and May back over to the Child's place. 

Silently we got into the car, and drove away from the hospital, leaving my parents behind. 


	7. Authors note

Authors note: I am _so sorry_ that I haven't updated this story in such a long time, but in all honesty I just haven't had the chance. I've been working on four essays for uni (the last of which is thankfully due next week) and in my spare time I've been working on my original fiction which has become something of an obsession with me. However, I have two weeks off Uni soon and I'm planning on getting back on with some of the stories I've been writing on here, including this one. Again, sorry.

Aims


	8. Six

[A/N. In answer to the question by Stormy Daye, no this isn't the last story in the series. There is going to be one more! I know it has taken me a very long time to update this, but I've been pretty busy with Uni stuff so I haven't had the chance to write some more until now. I wasn't actually planning on writing this chapter, but it occurred to me that I couldn't go straight to the funeral so I needed to have something more in there, and this is it. ]

****

~~ 6. The harsh light of day. ~~ 

There was a knock on the bedroom door. "Lara, are you awake yet sweetie?" Aunt Holly's voice came softly through the door.

Even though I hadn't really slept all night I closed my eyes tightly and pretended to be asleep, sensing her having opened the door and peered into the room. When I heard it click shut quietly I opened my eyes again, and moved restlessly. It was hard to believe what had happened last night, hard to believe my parents were gone and I was alone. I'd wondered about what would happen to me now, but most of the time I was too busy crying over my parent's death to care what happened to me. How could they have left me? Didn't they love me? I must have fallen asleep after the wakeful night because the next thing I knew Nelson was in the room.

He looked down at me, but his eyes avoided mine as he spoke. "Mom and Dad have gone to see Mr. Jackson about your parent's will. They didn't think you'd be up to going." He said.

"Right." I said numbly. "Did Grandmother come last night?"

Nelson nodded. "She did, she's not taking this well Lara- she…well it's almost as if she thinks it were Laura and Robert who died, not your parents." He explained. The bed creaked as he sat down on it, and instinctively I moved my feet so he had more room. We both sat in silence for a moment; the only real sounds were from the gulls outside. 

"You know…" I began before my voice cracked. I took a deep breath and started again. "You know I'm all alone now."

Nelson shook his head adamantly. "Lara you'll never be alone. You've got us, you've got your Grandmother, and May and Tommy…you're not alone."

I laughed bitterly. "Funny, it feels like I'm alone. I just don't understand why this happened Nelson. Everything was fine one minute, and then the next…." I sighed and angrily rubbed at the tears which had begun to fall again unbidden.

To my surprise Nelson had tears in his eyes too. "Nobody knows why anything happens Lara." He said softly. "I wish I could explain it, help you to feel better but I can't. Nobody can. But I want you to know that I'm here for you- Mom, Dad and I, we're here for you. "

I reached out and clasped his hand in mine. "Thank you." I said simply. 

He squeezed my hand by way of reply. 

*****

"Lara, do you think you could come down for dinner? We need to talk to you." Aunt Holly asked later that day. Nelson had spent awhile in my room sitting with me in silence before muttering something about going for a run and leaving. After he left I curled back up into a ball and tried not to think about what had happened. Unfortunately that was impossible. My life had just changed dramatically and I had no idea what was going to happen now. It was almost as if I were drifting in the ocean, going where the tide took me, with no real ability to shape where I was going or what was happening. 

I nodded. "But I'm not very hungry Aunt Holly." I said softly. 

"Oh sweetie I know, but you've got to try and eat something and keep your strength up. The next few days are going to be very hard." Aunt Holly said. Something in her tone made me look up at her- was there something she knew that I didn't?

Nelson gave me a weak smile when I walked into the kitchen. I'd splashed water on my face hoping it would take away the blotchiness but I'd shed too many tears for it to be concealed. Aunt Holly put a plate in front of me and I stared at the pasta for a moment before forcing myself to take a forkful. 

We ate in silence for a good ten minutes before Uncle Kenneth spoke. "Did Nelson tell you we were going to see Mr. Jackson about your parent's will?" He asked softly.

I nodded. "He said you didn't think I'd be up to it. You were right of course." I replied. "Did they- does the will say what's going to happen to me now?"

Aunt Holly made a strange noise in the back of her throat and shifted in her chair, but Uncle Kenneth held my inquiring gaze. "It does, but to be honest Lara things are a bit up in the air at the moment."

"Up in the air how?" I demanded. Even though I was upset about my parent's deaths I was still anxious to know what plans had been made for me. 

"Well it stipulates you're to stay with your Grandmother, provided of course, she is a suitable guardian." Uncle Kenneth said. "And…well look Lara, we don't need to talk about it now. Let's wait until after the funeral and then we can all sit down and-"

"NO!" The words burst from me before I could stop them. "Let's not wait. There's something wrong isn't there? I could tell by Aunt Holly's look before. Tell me what's wrong!"

Uncle Kenneth glanced at Aunt Holly and she nodded shortly. He sighed. "Lara, your Grandmother isn't taking this very well at all. You know about her…well her problems right? And if she's going to continue thinking like this, well she's not really a suitable guardian is she?" He explained.

I put my fork down. "You mean you're saying she can't look after me because she's nuts?" I snapped.

"LARA!" Aunt Holly said angrily. "I know you're upset, I know this has all come as a terrible shock to you-"

"Of course it's a shock." I cried. "My parents are dead, I wasn't expecting that was I?"

"Your Aunt didn't mean it like that." Uncle Kenneth explained. "The will is pretty detailed as to what would happen to you, and we've got to work some things out with Mr. Jackson as administrator of the will, before we know what's going to happen." 

I closed my eyes trying to get my temper under control. I knew it wasn't my Aunt and Uncle's fault that nothing was decided about me yet, but at the same time I wanted to know what was going to happen to me. I wanted to know that I was going to be able to feel safe and happy again one day. I opened my eyes again and forced a smile. "I'm sorry." I said stiffly. "I don't think I'm ready to deal with this yet. As you said let it wait until after the…after the funeral."

"Everything's going to be all right Lara." Aunt Holly assured me. "I promise you sweetie, everything's going to be all right."

I nodded, although I wasn't sure that was entirely true. In fact the way I saw it at that moment nothing was all right and I didn't know whether it ever would be again. 


End file.
